US - USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation have approved $355,000 for seven new research grants at five institutions.

The research funding was approved by the boards of directors of both organizations, based on recommendations from the Foundation Research Advisory Committee.

The committee evaluates research proposals to determine their value to the industry and then makes recommendations to the boards for funding.

Committee members are professional specialists from member companies representing different segments of the poultry and egg industry with expertise in a variety of disciplines.

The Association’s comprehensive research program dates back to the early 1960s when funds were first approved for poultry disease research.

It gradually grew into an all-inclusive program incorporating all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.

Since the inception of the research program, USPOULTRY and its Foundation have reinvested more than $30 million dollars into the industry in the form of research grants, with the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE), as the primary source for the funding.

More than 50 universities and federal and state facilities have received grants over the years.

Jerry Moye, retired president, Cobb-Vantress, and USPOULTRY chairman, said: "Research continues to be an important component of USPOULTRY's and the Foundation’s service to the industry, as we have now crossed the $30,000,000 threshold in reinvesting back in the industry through research.

"The Foundation Research Advisory Committee is the core of the research program with committee members providing numerous hours studying and evaluating research proposals before making recommendations for funding. We sincerely appreciate and value their excellent work."

The research grants for each institution include:

A Single Step Poultry Wastewater Remediation for In Situ Recovery of Potable Water and Value-Added ProductsUniversity of Kansas (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Pilgrim’s)

Improved Fly Control on Poultry Facilities with Microbial ProductsPenn State University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Midwest Poultry Services)

Improving Cold Weather Foam Depopulation OperationUniversity of Delaware (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Mountaire Farms)

Evaluation of the Combined Effects of Air Movement and Reduced house Relative Humidity on Bird Health and Welfare in the Early Phase of Commercial Broiler ProductionUniversity of Georgia (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Wayne Farms)

Nutritional Strategies to Reduce the Incidence of Wooden Breast in Pectoralis Major Muscles in Broiler ChickensAuburn University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation by a gift from Peco Foods)

Potential Impact of Litter Quality on E. coli-Associated Cellulitis in Production Turkeys in IowaUniversity of Georgia (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation by a gift from the Cooper Family Foundation)

Developing and Validating a Bioelectrical Impedance Index for Rapid Detection of Woody Breast FilletsAuburn University (research grant made possible in part by an endowing Foundation by a gift from Claxton Poultry)